Fix could cost more than $30,000

Nearly one month after an electrical problem shut off Cape Neddick's renowned Nubble Lighthouse, the town of York, which operates all but the navigational beacon, still is not sure when the problem might be fixed.

The Coast Guard, which operates the beacon, has installed a temporary emergency light, but hopes to convert the lighthouse to solar power in the near future.

Restoring power while maintaining the Nubble's historic integrity is the dilemma facing York, which maintains the lighthouse. Only the light and foghorn are the Coast Guard's responsibility.

"The lighthouse in general is extremely important to the community," said Mike Sullivan, director of the York Parks and Recreation Department. "There are a lot of people in York who are concerned about the existing Fresnel lens that's in there now is an important part of the lighthouse history, and they consider it part of the preservation process."

Saving the Fresnel lens could cost more than $30,000, officials said.

"It's going to be tough," said Rob Lehmann of the U.S. Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard has been considering switching as many lighthouse lights as possible to solar power and away from the Fresnel lenses. Solar power would cost a fraction of replacing the current Fresnel lens.

"We'd like to see as many as possible just for the fact it's cost efficient, the greener technology -- it also minimizes out man hours that we need to go out and visit our lights," Lehmann said.

Sullivan said the lighthouses first and foremost function is to serve as a navigational beacon. But historically, Nubble remains one of only a handful of Maine lights still using the famous Fresnel lens.

At stake is the town's annual Christmas in July celebration in which the lighthouse is lit up as it is during the holiday season in December. This year's event is scheduled for July 28. The town hopes it can still happen.

"When I don't see the light on, it's depressing," said Dave Elwell, a visitor from Michigan.

Photos: Popular Maine lighthouse goes dark

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Nearly one month after an electrical problem shut off Cape Neddick's renowned Nubble Lighthouse, the town of York, which operates all but the navigational beacon, still is not sure when the problem might be fixed.

IT'S TURNED OUT TO BE A COMPLICATED ISSUE. HOW TO RESTORE POWER TO CAPE NEDDICK'S FAMED NUBBLE LIGHTHOUSE. WHILE THE COAST GUARD HAS SET UP A TEMPORARY FIX -- IT'S THE LONG TERM SOLUTION THAT HAS MANY PEOPLE WONDERING.. AND EVEN WORRIED. LIVE AT SIX, WMTW NEWS EIGHT'S STEVE MINICH JOINS US FROM THE LIGHTHOUSE... SO STEVE, WHAT'S THE PROBLEM? THERE ARE ACTUALLY A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS... THE MOST PRESSING ... LAST MONTH ALL THE POWER ON THE ISLAND THE LIGHTHOUSE SITS ON WENT OUT,,, ..... AND THE ONLY WAY TO RESTORE IT IS TO REPLACE ALL THESE POLES AND POWER LINES -BUT, AT A HEAFTY COST TO THE TOWN OF YORK ...... ASIDE FROM THE MONEY THOUGH,,,, THERE'S ALSO A SAFETY AND HISTORIC CONCERN ..... "the lighthouse is on the national historic register." RESTORING POWER WHILE MAINTAINING THE NUBBLE'S HISTORIC INTEGRITY,,,, THAT'S THE DILEMMA FACING THE TOWN OF YORK WHICH MAINTAINS THE LIGHTHOUSE.... ONLY THE ACTUAL LIGHT AND FOGHORN ARE THE COAST GUARD'S RESPONSIBILITY.. "the lighthouse in general is extremely important to the community." YORK'S PARK AND RECREATION DIRECTOR MIKE SULLIVAN IS THE FIRST TO ADMIT IT'S IMPORTANT, FIRST AND FOREMOST AS A NAVIGATIONAL BEACON BUT, HISTORICALLY -- NUBBLE REMAINS ONE OF ONLY A HANDFULL OF MAINE LIGHT'S WHICH STILL OPERATES WITH THE FAMOUS FRESNEL LENSE.. "there are a lot of people in york who are concerned the existing fresnel lense that's in there now is an important part of the lighthouse history and they consider it part of the preservation process." BUT SAVING THAT FRESNEL LENSE COULD END UP COSTING MORE THAN 30-THOUSAND DOLLARS.. "it's going to be tough." FOR JUST A FRACTION OF THAT COST, THE COAST GUARD IS ALREADY CONSIDERING - REPLACING THE FRESNEL LENSE WITH A SOLAR POWERED L- E-D LIGHT ....... THE COAST GUARD, IN FACT, IS LOOKING TO SWITCH OUT AS MANY LIGHTS AS POSSIBLE WITH THE NEW TECHNOLOGY -- AS IT ALREADY HAS WITH THE BOON ISLAND LIGHT JUST OFF SHORE.. "we'd like to see as many as possible just for the fact it's cost efficient, the greener technology, it also minimizes out man hours that we need to go out and visit our lights." WHATEVER THE LONG TERM SOLUTION, IN THE SHORT RUN, THE MANY VISITORS TO NUBBLE ARE LEFT WITHOUT THE FAMILIAR BLINKING LIGHT THEY CAN USUALLY SEE FROM SHORE... "when i don't see the light on, it's depressing." AND WITH THE ANNUAL CHRISTMAS IN JULY -- LIGHTING OF THE NUBBLE CELEBRATION BARELY 6 WEEKS AWAY..... A LOT OF FOLKS ARE KEEPING THEIR FINGERS CROSSED .. "whether its a tempoarty fix for that or a permanent fix i'm confident the lighting of the nubble's going to happen just as it always has." USUALLY FROM THIS SIDE YOU COULD SEE THE LIGHT BLINKING EVERY THREE SECONDS,,,, BUT,, RIGHT NOW THE LIGHT ONLY BLINKS OUT TO SEA... LIVE IN CAPE